The Voice of Reason: Don't You Wish America Was More Like Korea?

Over the week of Thanksgiving, I traveled to South Korea to spend time with my oldest son, who is teaching English at an elementary school there.

What amazed me most about the experience more than anything else is that capitalism, the bastion of free people everywhere, is alive and well in Korea.  Yes, Korea.

As I walked down the streets of Pyeongtaek, Anjung and Seoul, I witnessed a bustling economy with large and small shops everywhere.  People even sold their wares on the sidewalk, from garlic to fried fish, vegetables and craft items. During my week in Korea, I ate at several restaurants where my dining mates and I cooked meat on a small grill within the table in front of us. After we determined that the meat was done, we combined the small pieces of beef, pork, chicken and lamb with vegetables and sauces provided by the restaurants into a tasty wrap.

I also experienced a country with very little crime, a country in which one can safely walk down the street at night without being mugged.  I also saw a country where families regularly eat meals together and a level of respect is inherent in the culture.  Instead of saying "yes ma'am" or "yes, sir" as we did growing up in America, Koreans show respect with gestures such as a simple bow or by receiving something from someone by using two hands.

I also did not see a single person sleeping on the street, or even one person begging for my change.  I did see Koreans heading to work early in the morning to factories making automobiles or high-tech products, many of which we purchase in America (i.e., Samsung, Hyundai, Kia).  I also saw very small yards in the middle of the city turned into gardens in order to grow cabbage, one of the staples of the Korean diet.  I also witnessed Koreans working diligently on a housing project, without the typical "one person working, two people standing around" mentality we see on many projects in America.  Clearly, Koreans are very industrious people with a strong work ethic.   

As I was experiencing Korea, I began to remember that this was what it was like in the U.S. in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, when parents allowed their children to play in their neighborhoods after dark, when people had respect for one another, when people actually worked hard and didn't expect a handout from their government, and when anyone in America could start a business without worrying about all of the government red tape and outlandish lawsuits that are killing our economy today.

What would the county or state health department think about allowing customers to cook their own raw meat until it is safe to eat?  What would attorneys think about the dangers of potential lawsuits arising from customers burning themselves on grills or eating meat that isn't properly cooked?  Could these restaurants even obtain insurance in America?  How would our city leaders treat those street vendors who are simply trying to make a living for their families? What would the unions think about a workforce that isn't bloated? 

Sadly, what I witnessed in Korea would not be allowed to occur in America today.  Attorneys would close down those restaurants, if health departments didn't prevent them from opening in the first place.  Cities certainly would not allow so many street vendors, and our unions certainly would not allow the level of work activity seen on Korean job sites.

While I certainly understand safety and environmental regulations that protect the health and welfare of a country's population, I strongly believe that America has taken them too far.  Regulations are so complex and cumbersome today that most small businesses have to hire an accountant and attorney before they open their doors  to their first customers.

Sadly, as I was boarding my plane home, I began to wish that America was more like Korea.  Yes, Korea.